Judge: Autism, Iraq War Service Helped Mitigate Marblehead Man's Sentence for Child Porn

The lawyer for a Marblehead veteran who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography argued that her client's autism played a role in him having the illegal images. Matthew Macaro, 34, was sentenced to four months in prison on Tuesday.

The Salem News reports that Macaro's attorney told the judge her client has Asperger's Syndrome, a type of autism that may have caused him to become a compulsive collector. He has no sexual attraction to children, the lawyer told the court. Macaro is an Army veteran of the Iraq War.

Macaro's attorney, Jessica Hedges, did not return a call from Marblehead Patch.

For more on the case, including context for what some Marblehead Patch readers have said it too lenient a sentence, please visit the Salem News.